Vehicles may be one of the most expensive purchases an average consumer makes over the course of his or her lifetime. Although new vehicles may include many conveniences such as GPS navigation systems and high-quality audio systems, the vehicle is normally in a parked state and therefore, the systems of the vehicle are not accessible to the vehicle owner or operator. Moreover, lack of interaction between the vehicle operator and vehicle systems may mean that many of the viewer interfaces between the operator and the systems, unlike most programmable equipment in use today (such as a computer background or screensaver, for example), are static.
Additionally, because vehicle systems are typically powered by a 12-volt lead acid battery, it may be necessary to disable the systems to ensure reliable starting of the vehicle. Consequently, the only time a vehicle operator can use key vehicle systems such as a navigation system, for example, may be during vehicle operation and even then, the interaction between operator and vehicle systems may take place through non-intuitive operator interfaces (due to lack of traditional keyboard or mouse access). In addition, service personnel may be required to purchase specialized equipment in order to access the vehicle diagnostics. This may increase capital costs and reduce the overall diagnostic and service capability of the dealer or service provider due to the limited availability of the specialized equipment required to access the vehicle diagnostics.
Therefore, a vehicle wireless information system which facilitates remote wireless access and control of the functional features and systems of a vehicle is needed.